New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-16

on the trial firing at the proving ground at Annapolis
The Atlanta has never been within l0O miles OF tno
proving ground. II the copper bolts we're fonnd TOO
weak ut the proving ground why were they prougns
here and fastened to the decks of tho Atisntas
That statement is than evasion. As tor the
steel bolts the experiments were made in Washing
ton. Weeks OF time were consumed III making them ;
they were sent here, and, as said the heads new
on whom struck with the hammer. The copper r1vets
may have been withdrawn because of weakness, but
they would have had be withdrawn because OF the
galyanic action due TO the salt water Commander
ONeil calls this trihing affair Is 1t thrilling mat
ter that First Lieutenant Berry kept cut Ut his
nearly nine months and holes lett all over
the decks for salt water to percoae through to the
steel decks rodng them and nconvenienchg very
body on the ship
gu Tho guns worked all right in the tracks, etc.
I will set against this the following clipping from
The Herald
"The alterations eighinch gun carriagesare not i'm
porant and will not take much time There Is broad srcG
rage economically take upa part of the reeo
M ss 9 % ps be-
but as is any rreguary IN the track ca9ses one nange
s tle s.s the whole ai Sas
munition for going TO sea-
"(s) 'One man can train the six-inch guns with
ease. etc. Commander O'Nei surely cannot deny that
ten could train the six-inCh guns that hre
broadside, fore and aft. 1t would take fifteen
with..dfculty to shit pivot with these guns
His next point about two men working the eight
inch guns best wered by asking tor what purpose
the four engines boughtl 1t was to permit the
working OF the guns by gunners under cover II men
had to into that cuar uncOy ere COCKPIT IN Dattle
to work the guns it would be certain death to the poor
creatures.
Commander O'Nei thinks the incomplete portion
of the steam attachment OF adjustment and east
remedied.' Nine months OF pottering away. and the
eigbtnch guns blocked up for removal, aud the end
not yet.
y Commander O'Neil is mistaken when he thinks
this criticism is 20 jealousy between line and staf
IL il intended to fssen the blame where belongs TO
the Ordnance Bureau, OF which Commodore Sicard Is
head, which by arbitrary methods and selfassump-
ton OF all earthly knowledge the subject have
brought about these costly bunders For costly they
have been and the money expended is so large that
the amount will never be known Last week Commo
dore Scard himself came on from Washington to sat
ify himself of the buDders his bureau responsible
for and he went back in an uncomfortable frame OF
mind.
"As for the youthful Lieutenant, he will doubt be
honor to the service when he grows older, but his
ability electrical expert and inventor IS out OF
place selecting steam gearing tor a war ship.
4" One more point concerning the chseiiiug OF the
gun towers. 1t is curious thing that contractor
shonld have lett big section OF steel only to be CHS
cleo out aiterward While on this topic would like
to ask Commander ONeil If the plans OF the Advisory
Board called the cutting away OF the port shutters
in order to get tie gun muzzes through or was II que
to improperly lad carriage tracks would also Ike
haze him tell il the shields tor the great eigt-nch
guns are ready-in iact ii they have ever been begun
Yet the shields most important part OF the
Atlanta'S armament.
The rest OF Commander ONeils letter needs no
answer But you say that all this trouble grew
oft OF men in the Ordnance Bureau who never had an
original idea, copying plans from English arinaments
and without consulting with their American snbordi-
Mates rbirarily irving to fit out Navy with
them Line and stan have both been ignored at Wash
inCton."